New Coalition May Emerge This Week;
D'Alema Must Enter Political Minefield

By

Deborah Ball Special to The Wall Street Journal

Updated Oct. 21, 1998 12:19 a.m. ET

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi could have saved his government with a simple nod of his head.

The chance came just before the vote of confidence earlier this month that ended Mr. Prodi's 29-month-old center-left government. The premier had called the vote after the Communist Refoundation withdrew its support, leaving the government hanging by a thread.